I need to replace a burned out bulb that I can't remove. It was in an outd oor hanging fixture that had an old bee hive so I thought it might be stuck with honey. I turned off the power and repeatedly sprayed up into the soc ket with hot water for 10 minutes then put on leather gloves and twisted ha rd. I really thought the bulb would break off in my glove but it didn't bu dge. Anyone got any ideas for me to try before I replace the socket altoge ther?
be stuck with honey. I turned off the power and repeatedly
If need be, break the glass and use pliers on the base.
Water not a great choice for the lubricant altho may help, use something like WD40 or a rust remover that'll wick in the threads...
tdoor hanging fixture that had an old bee hive so I thought it might be stu ck with honey. I turned off the power and repeatedly sprayed up into the s ocket with hot water for 10 minutes then put on leather gloves and twisted hard. I really thought the bulb would break off in my glove but it didn't budge. Anyone got any ideas for me to try before I replace the socket alto gether?
1 - Turn off the power, at the breaker to be extra safe. 2 - Put a zip-lock or other "heavy duty" bag over the bulb and break the glass. 3 - Use a pair of pliers to bend the edge of base inwards until you have enough to grab and then twist it out.(Turning the fixture off at the switch is not the safest method unless you are 100% sure that it will kill all power to the fixture. There are situations where they can still be power at the fixture even with the switch turned off.)
I was going to suggest this, but I figured since it was stated that "I turned the power off" instead of "I turned it off" or "I turned the light off" I took that to mean at the breaker. With so many folks here so ready to jump all over somebody for stating the obvious I decided not to post.
The other point I would have made had I posted then, was to bend in two opposite edges of the bulb's base and use the long-nosed pliers in the same way a spanner wrench would be used. I've had to do this with several outside fixtures due to corrosion.
As a last resort. After breaking off the glass parts, you might save some time by just wrapping a few turns of duct tape around the end of a broom handle *sticky side out*, and then a ring sticky side in anchoring the 'outie' duct tape. This also gives you a good reach so you don't need to climb a stepladder with the pliers.
Either way, follow up with sandpaper (sandy side out) duct-taped to the broom handle to clean corrosion off the contacts. I would also then duct-tape a rag to the broom handle and dampen it to clean out the grit.
try before I replace the socket altogether?
Get some penetrating oil in the spray can. Shoot it where the bulb screws in. I use Koil, but it may be hard to find locally. You may try some PB Blaster or any other penetrating type of oil.
Many years ago a neighbor asked me to change the fixture outside his front door. I asked him if the power was off and he said yes.
I swapped out the fixture and told him to turn the power back on. He reached inside the door and flipped the switch. That was my fault, I should have been more specific.
When it comes to electricity, or anything else that can kill someone, "stating the obvious" should always be done. If someone jumps on you for that, tell them to go pound sand.
I usually use scissors (NOT to cut anything, but sideways like pliers).
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Never trust anyone when it comes to the power. I have one of the 'wireless' touch testers and check for power, turn it off and check again. I use either it or some other type of tester to make sure there is no power on anything I touch. If possiable put some kind of lock device on the switch/breaker.
Several times I've resorted to breaking off the globe and grabbing the shell with a needle nose pliers, twisting it to nake the shell contract and come loose. The crappy aluminum ones in aluminum sockets can pretty well weld themselves in.
Use a 30-06
Unless you have personally disconnected the power and verified it is off and LOCKED off, assume it is live and treat it accordingly.
After hearing about an electrician pulling a meter to change a panel, only to have a carpenter on the job re-install the meter so he could use a saw, my dad locked removed meters in his truck.
Thanks to all for comments and advice. I went to HD and bought a small can of WD40 with the little red straw to direct the stream exactly where I wan t it. Sprayed all up inside the base, waited 20 minutes, bulb wouldn't bud ge, repeated, and now I can rock the bulb socket a lot more but it still wo n't twist. I especially like the idea of pinching the base of the open soc ket toward the center with needle nose. This should create a way to exert a lot more twisting force on the stuck base.
I took out the Leviton push button dimmer switch and found that it won't cl ose. Maybe the old bulbs were ok to start with but now I want to be able t o replace them normally. I put wire nuts on the live hot and neutral leads in the switch box that operates the lights so the socket must be dead now and I'll get my wife to help me find the breaker before installing the new switch.
Electrician friend was wiring some at a church. He had pulled the meter. For some reason a power company man came by and saw the meter out. He put it back in. Good thing the friend only got a mild shock before he checked and found the meter had been installed.
an of WD40 with the little red straw to direct the stream exactly where I w ant it. Sprayed all up inside the base, waited 20 minutes, bulb wouldn't b udge, repeated, and now I can rock the bulb socket a lot more but it still won't twist. I especially like the idea of pinching the base of the open s ocket toward the center with needle nose. This should create a way to exer t a lot more twisting force on the stuck base.
close. Maybe the old bulbs were ok to start with but now I want to be able to replace them normally. I put wire nuts on the live hot and neutral lea ds in the switch box that operates the lights so the socket must be dead no w and I'll get my wife to help me find the breaker before installing the ne w switch.
Good God No! Do not enlist your wife to help you find the breaker. Hire a teenager, rent a day-worker, call your brother, better yet call a complete stranger...anybody but your wife. It can only end in disaster.
The mapping of circuits in a house has the same documented 'relationship casualty rate' as wallpapering.
Husband: (at breaker box, yelling through the duct work) "Is it off?" Wife: (at far end of house) "What?" Husband: "I said, IS IT OFF?" Wife: "I meant, Is *WHAT* off?" Husband: "What? Did you say "It's not off"?" Wife: "NO!" Husband: "No, it's not off" or "No, you didn't say it's not off?" Wife: "ARRRRGGGHHHH I hate this!" Husband: "What?"
I've done this several times with good success. A few weeks ago, the aluminum socket was so badly damaged by the time I got the shell out, it was necessary to replace the whole fixture.
That bulb was outside over a seldom used door. It had probably been there about 65 years.
Fred
Hmm...I think at this point, if it were me, I'd just proceed to replace the socket. I suspect you're going to find that it's severely corroded if you do manage to free the base of the bulb. A socket in this condition would only cost you money in premature lightbulb deaths.
The guy from the power company was sent by GOD! He wanted to reap another electrician, so he could control more lightning......
I don't understand how a corroded socket would lead to premature bulb failu re. The only possible effect that I can think of due to socket corrosion i s reduced heat transfer from the bulb to the material surrounding the socke t. That is a negligible amount compared to the total heat radiation from th e bulb.
lure. The only possible effect that I can think of due to socket corrosion is reduced heat transfer from the bulb to the material surrounding the soc ket. That is a negligible amount compared to the total heat radiation from the bulb.
Because you put more force on the base when screwing it in.
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